Interim deans appointed for WMU business, honors colleges

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Interim deans have been appointed to two Western Michigan University colleges as a result of academic leadership changes.

Dr. Satish Deshpande has been appointed as interim dean of the Haworth College of Business, and Jane Baas will take the reins of the Lee Honors College. Both had been serving as associate deans in their respective colleges.

Satish Deshpande

Deshpande replaces Dr. Kay Palan, who is leaving WMU to become dean of the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Commerce July 1.

A professor of management, Deshpande has served as associate dean of the Haworth College of Business since 2011. His teaching specialty is human resource management and his research has focused on managerial decision making, healthcare management and applied psychology.

Jane Baas

Baas replaces Dr. Carla Koretsky, who will become dean of the WMU College of Arts and Sciences on July 1.

A professor of dance, Baas has been associate dean of the Lee Honors College since 2014. Before that, she served as chair of the Department of Dance in multiple appointments for nine years and was a member of the dance faculty since 1981. She also has served as coordinator of advising for the College of Fine Arts.

Both new interim deans will serve while WMU conducts searches to fill the two positions permanently. 

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